Some car crash injuries are far more visually dramatic than others. A compound fracture that produces heavy bleeding draws more attention than a stable fracture that only causes pain. The injuries that look the most severe can often create emergency scenarios.
For example, a degloving or avulsion injury is horrific to witness or experience. In a degloving incident, physical trauma peels or tears the skin back from the flesh of the body, much like the removal of a glove. Unlike removing a glove, a degloving injury causes severe damage and blood loss.
Motorcycle riders and cyclists are among those at particularly high risk of a degloving injury after a collision. People who incur degloving injuries typically need emergency medical care and could be at risk of dying.
Degloving comes with many risks
Any injury that breaks the skin creates a risk of infection. Degloving injuries disrupt large sections of skin and subcutaneous tissue, making them particularly dangerous. The person with the injury may need to undergo special procedures to clean the injury and may need to take antibiotics as a prophylactic protection against infection.
In many cases, surgery may be necessary. The injured person may require skin grafts. In more severe cases, the doctors treating the injured person may determine that amputating the affected body part is the best course of treatment. Even if they can preserve the damaged tissue, recovery may take months.
Frequently, degloving incidents result in severe scarring and nerve damage as well. Even with modern trauma care interventions, a degloving incident is likely to cause a permanent change to the appearance and function of the affected body part.
Even after the initial injury heals, the injured person may forever have reduced strength or limited range of motion because of the secondary damage caused by the degloving incident. Those lingering symptoms may affect earning potential. Degloving incidents often generate more in lost wages and medical expenses than insurance can cover.
Recognizing that a degloving is likely to result in lasting medical and financial consequences can help people respond appropriately to this serious car crash injury. Those recovering after a degloving incident may need help evaluating their options for financial compensation and holding the right party accountable for their injury, and that’s okay.
